Glass Wind
by Cheyne
Summary: Crossover: Yami no Matsuei and Tokyo Babylon. Chapter 3: Subaru considers his feelings about the sakurazukamori, and begins to question his ability to help the Shinigami.
1. Prologue - I Hate Sakura

Hi min'na! It's me again. This idea struck me across the face when I actually sat down and -thought- about it for a moment. This is a Tokyo Babylon/Yami no Matsuei crossover. It's kind of odd, I know, but please bear with me. I think I'm really going to enjoy writing it. If you've read some of my other stories (the Call Me, Call Me arc would be a good example), the POV will work in that same way. It's AU for both Tokyo Babylon and Yami no Matsuei, contains spoilers for all of TB and past volume 3 of YnM.  
  
Notes: Shounen-ai, angst, violence, humour, and some fluff for fun.  
  
************  
  
- Hisoka -  
  
I'm standing underneath one of the ever-blooming sakura trees in Enma-Cho, gazing up at the night sky. The stars sparkle through the branches, and I shiver a little bit. I've had an odd feeling lately.. that something is going to happen. Something -bad-. When I told Tsuzuki about it, he laughed and said I'd probably been working too hard.. and he's probably right. But I just can't get this feeling to leave me alone. It'd started when Konoe-kachou had called Tsuzuki and I into his office to brief us on a new case. I close my eyes briefly as I replay the events in my mind.  
("Good, you're both here. Tsuzuki, Kurosaki, this isn't going to be an easy job." Kachou gazed at us both evenly. "You have the right to refuse."  
My jaw almost came unhinged at that. "Refuse?" I ask incredulously. "Kachou, that's usually not an option. In fact, it's NEVER an option. What could possibly be so bad that we'd refuse the case?"  
His expression darkened. "You'll find out soon enough. Have you ever heard the legend of the Blossom Star?"  
Tsuzuki frowns slightly, tapping his jaw with one finger. "Sounds familiar. I think my mother said something about that to me when I was little. Something about a family being controlled by an evil spirit that dwells in a sakura tree.. am I close?"  
Kachou nodded. "Right on the mark, Tsuzuki. The Sakurazuka family is the one to which your mother referred. This sakura tree has been around for many, many years, and it has traditionally been opposed by the Sumeragi clan, who use light onmiyoujitsu."  
"Onmiyouji," I murmur. "Mediums. I think I've heard of the Sumeragi family." I frown bitterly. "In fact, I know I have. I believe my parents sent for an onmiyouji to exorcize me."  
Tsuzuki frowns at that, but says nothing. Kachou looks sympathetic. They -both- know better than to press me about my past, and they wisely keep their mouths shut. Kachou continues the story. "At any rate, the Sumeragi clan has always opposed the Sakurazuka clan. However, in recent years, the two have crossed paths as they never have before. It seems the current blossom star, or 'sakurazukamori', who is Sakurazuka Seishirou, made a Bet with the thirteenth Clan Head of the Sumeragi Family, Sumeragi Subaru.  
"This bet was made without Sumeragi-san's knowledge, and he was marked with the sakurazukamori's symbol. The bet mainly said that if Sumeragi-san couldn't make the sakurazukamori fall in love with him within a year upon their next meeting, he would be sacrificed to the Tree." Kachou pauses here.  
"That's horrible!" Tsuzuki says, his voice slightly hushed. A deep frown is on his face. "I'm assuming Sumeragi-san lost this bet and was killed?"  
Kachou shakes his head. "Not quite. He did lose the bet, yes, but he wasn't killed.. his twin sister died in his place. All the names of the people who have died at the hands of the sakurazukamori have appeared on the Kiseki.. until Sakurazuka Seishirou took over the roll. It seems that he is consigning their souls to the Tree, and they are trapped within the evil spirit."  
Now it's my turn to frown uneasily. "A curse, basically."  
Tsuzuki looks a bit nervous. "Sounds kinda like it."  
"Basically." Kachou sits down and indicates that we should do the same. "It is a curse in that they're trapped inside the evil spirit, perhaps forever, but they can be saved. Here's the tricky part. The Sumeragi Clan Head has become obsessed with the blossom star, and has begun training vigorously to become strong enough to defeat him. However.. whoever kills the sakurazukamori will automatically succeed him in line."  
I grimace. "Which causes a double-negative.. a Sumeragi - the Clan Head at that! - becoming the sakurazukamori."  
Tsuzuki leans back in his chair and studies the mission report. "All right, so what do you want us to do, then?"  
"This is somewhat odd," Kachou replies. "What I want you to do is keep a very close eye on both the blossom star and on the Sumeragi. If those two cross paths again, I shudder to think of the concequences. Furthermore, you are to try and free the spirits from within the Tree. At all costs, we need those souls back, or they can never be reborn."  
"All right," I say. "I'll watch the Clan Head, then, and Tsuzuki can watch the sakurazukamori."  
"Hey! Why do -I- have to watch the creepy one?" Tsuzuki pouts.  
I gaze at him with clear green eyes. "A very simple reason."  
He tilts his head. "What's that?"  
"I hate sakura.")  
  
*******  
TBC  
*******  
  
Ne, ne? ^.~ Comments are always appreciated.  
  
-- Cheyne  
cheyne@everlastingstory.net  
6:25 PM 5/9/2002 


	2. Chapter 1 - Memories

AN: Hi, welcome to chapter 1! ^^ I hope you're enjoying this so far. It should prove interesting. I'm not sure how long the chapters will be on average.. not long, perhaps, because I tend to get blocked easily. =\ Comments are always appreciated! Once again, this story is AU: I'm making a LOT of this up (mainly the family history of the Sumeragi and Sakurazuka families, as well as Watari's connection) for my own purpouses. ^.~ Another aside, I've been messing around with formatting.. -.-; I can't figure this out for the life of me, but I'm hoping this will work.  
  
  
************  
  
- Hisoka -  
  
Sakura trees disgust me. This one, in particular. I glare at it as Tsuzuki probes it carefully with his magic. I can -feel- the evil around it, and sense the agony of the souls trapped inside. I shift uneasily and force myself to look away. If the sakurazukamori catches us snooping around, we may be forced to fight him. Kachou told us that he is very strong, perhaps a rival for Tsuzuki. Definately stronger than me, which is another reason I decided to watch over the Sumeragi. The main reason, however, being that I -loathe- sakura. I was killed under a sakura tree by a similar-sounding maniac. Ironically, he is a doctor, while Sakurazuka Seishirou is a vet. I spare a moment for grim thoughts about the quality of health care.  
  
"All done," Tsuzuki says. I turn to look at him, but he's gazing at the Tree thoughtfully. "It's strange, but.. it almost seems like it could talk to me if it really wanted to. It's definately an evil spirit, there's no doubt about that. The sakurazukamori isn't anywhere around here. I don't think he knows we're here, either."  
  
I frown. "If he does, we're in it really deep." I turn away and cross my arms. "All right, then.. next stop, Sumeragi Subaru-san's home."  
  
Tsuzuki blinks. "You know we can't just waltz in and talk to him, right?"  
  
"Of course I know that," I reply, irritated. "I need to see where he lives, what he does.. I need to be able to sense his emotions."  
  
"Right, right!" Tsuzuki beams at me. "All right, then, let's go."  
  
We hitch a ride on a trolley to the onmiyouji's apartment, and I look up at the building and carefully extend my senses. I don't find much of anything in the way of magical residue, nor do I find anything that indicates a master of 'jitsu is in the building. "I don't think he's home."  
  
Tsuzuki blinks and tilts his head. "Where else could he be, then?"  
  
"On a job, probably," I say offhand. "He -is- the Clan Head, you know, and Japan's most powerful onmiyouji. I'm sure he's in high demand."  
  
"I see." Tsuzuki seems to mull this one over. "The Sumeragi clan has protected Japan for the last two thousand years.. I'm sure they're fairly well known. I think the best place to go for this would be the Sumeragi estate. They can tell us more about this 'blossom star'."  
  
I shudder. I don't want to get any closer to the sakurazukamori than I have to. "I suppose so. Do they live in Tokyo?"  
  
"Nope. Kyoto, I believe." He smiles. "Let's teleport back to Enma-Cho and talk to Watari. He was born in Kyoto, maybe he knows more about them."  
  
With a nod, we both teleport back to Enma-Cho. "He's probably in his lab," I say offhand. I usually don't state the obvious, but I'm deep in thought about this. A murderer who consigns souls to a sakura tree.. a murderer who rapes and tortures people under sakura trees. A shudder passes through me.  
  
"Are you all right?" I blink, snapping out of my haze, Tsuzuki's concern washing over me like a warm blanket.  
  
"Aa, fine." We stop at the door to Watari's lab, and I open it carefully. Working with Watari for the past few months has taught me great caution. "Watari?" I call.  
  
"Haaai!" A cheerful voice rings out from the back of the lab, and a moment later, a slender blonde-haired man follows it out. "Ah, Tsuzuki, bon! Come on in, I'm not doing anything dangerous right now."  
  
Tsuzuki grinns at him. "Watari, you're always up to something dangerous. Let's have some tea, okay? We need to talk to you about a case."  
  
Watari blinks. "Sure, sure. This way." He leads us to his rather cluttered office, which is off to the side of his lab. Within moments, we all have tea. "So, what's up?" the scientist asks, crossing his legs and leaning back in his chair comfortably.  
  
"You were born in Kyoto, right?" I ask. At his affirmative nod, I continue. "What do you know about the Sumeragi family?"  
  
His eyes widen slightly. "The Sumeragi family? Why do you ask, bon?"  
  
"We have a case involving the current Clan Head and the sakurazukamori," Tsuzuki replies. "Any information you can give us would be absolutely fantastic."  
  
"Sou da ne," Watari breathes, putting his tea down in favor of twirling a lock of long blonde hair. "That's an interesting question. The Sumeragi family mainly keeps to themselves. They're strong magicians, as I'm sure you know.. mostly, they're devoted to making sure nobody uses evil onmiyoujitsu in Japan. They're mediums; they're often called upon to exorcize places."  
  
I nod. "What do you know about their connection to the Sakurazuka family?"  
  
He cringes. "That's a long and bloody story, are you sure you want to hear it?"  
  
"Very sure," I reply firmly. "We have to know about this."  
  
Slowly, he nods. His gaze becomes vacant, as if he's looking into the past. "My mother told me about it when I was younger, after we moved to Osaka. The Sumeragi family and the Sakurazuka family were once one, thousands and thousands of years ago. The heads of the family were happily married, and very in love, until an incident occured between them. Nobody quite knows what, but whatever it was, it split them up pretty well. Lost in grief and rage, the woman declared herself no longer part of the family, and she left. Half of the family went with her, and half went with her former husband. The woman, sick with grief, committed suicide under one of the many sakura trees that grew in what is now Ueno Park in Tokyo.  
  
"She cast a curse with her dying strength that put her spirit in the sakura tree. She vowed to have vengance on the family that had wronged her, and bound her son to her to help her achieve her goal. Thus began the Sakurazuka family. When her husband found out about this, he was devistated. He went to try and exorcize her spirit, and his son appeared and killed him, making him the first sacrifice to the Tree. The family, whose name was Sumeragi, became violently opposed to the Sakurazuka clan. That's what started the whole bloody feud in the first place." Watari paused to take a sip of his tea, letting Tsuzuki and I digest the history.  
  
"And now, Sakurazuka Seishirou is the blossom star.. the 'sakurazukamori'." I frown and lean back in my chair, ignoring my tea. "He made a Bet with the Head of the Sumeragi Clan." I explain the case briefly to Watari, who pales even further when he hears about it.   
  
"That's horrible," he breathes. "The matter has become personal once again. For awhile, the families seemed to have forgotten.. I'd hoped that this would never start again."  
  
Tsuzuki frowns slightly. "Watari.. what's your connection to the Sumeragi clan?"  
  
Watari blinks, then sighs and bites his lip. "After my mother died, I was sent back to Kyoto to be fostered by the current Clan Head, the Lady Sumeragi." He shrugs a little. "I wasn't there for too long.. a couple years. She was old even then.. I'd imagine she's in her eighties by now."  
  
I nod. "Somewhere along in there, yes. Do you think she would talk to you about the Clan Head?"  
  
He grimaces. "It's possible. She taught me a lot about the Sumeragi family.. I became somewhat of an honorary member."  
  
"Great!" Tsuzuki looks very enthusiastic. "This will be perfect. We can find out more about the events now. I'm -sure- she'll be able to help us."  
  
Watari looks somewhat nervous, but he nods in agreement. "We'll see. I'm just wondering how she'll react to my presence.. since, you know, I'm dead."  
  
"Well, she's an onmiyouji," I point out. "She couldn't possibly be THAT surprised."  
  
"I hope not." He stands up and shrugs out of his lab coat, revealing his usual outfit of a sweater and khakis. "Let me make myself presentable, then we'll go."  
  
I blink and look down at my own clothes.. jeans, t-shirt, denim jacket. "Should we change?"  
  
"Nah." He smiles. "I'm just a mess, I've been working all day." He disappears back into his lab, and Tsuzuki and I remain in the office, both of us deep in thought.  
  
"This is strange," Tsuzuki finally says. "Don't you think he'd be happy to see Lady Sumeragi again?"  
  
"I don't know what to think," I reply. "I'm going to try not to anymore until we get more facts. Right now, everything I see tells me that Sumeragi Subaru and Sakurazuka Seishirou should never have met up in the first place."  
  
Watari returns then, his hair combed and back in a neat ponytail. "All right, let's go!"  
  
- Watari -  
  
Spring in Kyoto was traditionally a happy time for me. I remember the parties the Sumeragi family held, rejoicing in the season of new life. How ironic that I died in the springtime. Grimacing a bit at my morbidity, I lead Hisoka and Tsuzuki up the steps to the Sumeragi estate. It hasn't changed much since last I saw it. We're met at the gate by a girl in the traditional robes.  
  
"May I help you?" she asks in a gentle alto.  
  
"Aa, we're here to see the Lady Sumeragi." I smile charmingly at her. "Will you please tell her that Watari Yutaka is here?"  
  
The girl bows slightly. "If you will follow me.." She turns and heads down one of the paths that branch away from the gate. I know exactly where she's going - the gardens. We follow her, and she stops us in front of the door to the pavillion. "Wait one moment." She disappears inside.  
  
Tsuzuki looks around with a faint smile. "It's beautiful here," he remarks. "This is a really beautiful place, Watari. Is it different than you remember?"  
  
"Not too much," I reply. "Then again, it hasn't really been -that- long.. twenty years or so."  
  
The girl reappears. "The Lady Sumeragi will see you now." She gestures that we should enter the pavillion.  
  
We do, and find her sitting under a weeping willow tree in a wheelchair. That sight makes my heart clench, for I remember her as a strong, stern woman. I walk to her slowly, with Tsuzuki and Hisoka keeping a respectful distance. I bow formally. "Lady Sumeragi," I murmur.  
  
She looks up at me with the same expression I remember.. mostly stern, mostly cold, but showing hints of affection and warmth. "It is good to see you after all these years, Yutaka-san."  
  
"It's good to see you as well, my lady," I say, taking her hands in mine and smiling down at her. "I suppose you're surprised to see me, since I died over twenty years ago."  
  
"You should know better, child," she replies in a surprisingly gentle voice. "I am an onmiyouji. Seeing spirits does not startle me. However, you seem.. different."  
  
I nod. "Aa.. I am a Shinigami now. These are my friends, Tsuzuki Asato and Kurosaki Hisoka." The two bow to her, and she nods graciously. "I brought them here because they have some questions for you about the family history. I'll let them explain."  
  
Hisoka tells the story about the Kiseki, the Book of Souls, and then briefly summarizes the case. "What we need to know is everything you can tell us about the Clan Head, Sumeragi Subaru. It's important if we want to save him from the blossom star."  
  
Lady Sumeragi closes her eyes and looks down, a pained expression appearing on her face. "It is not a pleasant story," she murmurs. "It is also partially my fault, because I did not try to keep Subaru-san away from Seishirou-san."  
  
"We know about the Bet and their history," Tsuzuki says. "What we really need to know now is, are they still interacting with eachother?"  
  
"No." She opens her eyes again and looks up at Tsuzuki. "Subaru-san changed drastically after all this happened to him. If the sakurazukamori were to approach him, there would be dire consequences for both of them."  
  
Hisoka frowns. "All right, that's one problem out of the way. The next thing we need to deal with is that Tree."  
  
Lady Sumeragi nods slowly. "That will be easier said than done, I'm afraid. Generation upon generation of Sumeragi onmiyouji have attempted this, and all have failed. Subaru-san is the strongest among us now, and even he could not do it."  
  
"His sister is in that tree?" Tsuzuki muses. "If we could just contact her.."  
  
I blink. "Sou! Tsuzuki, you may be on to something! If we can manage to get ahold of the girl.."  
  
Hisoka nods slowly. "If someone's with me, guarding my back.. maybe my empathy would be able to reach her. Something like going Within."  
  
Lady Sumeragi shakes her head. "It is too dangerous, child, even for a Shinigami like you. The sakurazukamori would be alerted immediately, and you would have to fight him. He is very, very powerful.. especially with the Tree backing him."  
  
"Well, then," Hisoka says. "What we need is Sumeragi Subaru's help."  
  
"That may be the hardest thing to acquire," the Lady murmurs. "I will do what I can for you, but.. it may not be enough. Subaru-san has retreated Within himself, and none of us have been able to pull him out thus far. He is here, however, and you are welcome to give it a shot."  
  
Hisoka nods, setting his jaw in determination. "I will do it."  
  
"Then, follow me," Lady Sumeragi says, waving for an attendant. "And prepare yourself."  
  
I close my eyes, but trail along after them. Something deep inside is warning me that this is a bad idea.. but it may be our only hope.  
  
Sumeragi Subaru.. Kurosaki Hisoka.   
  
I hope you're strong enough, bon.  
  
*********  
  
Ne, ne? ^.~ The next chapter is on the way! 


	3. Chapter 2 - Within

AN: This part could get kind of violent and angsty. You've been warned!   
  
P.S.: goodness.. I've never been threatened with Pocky and Twizzlers before. o.o;; My corrolary on posting by parts is that I am halfway through the next part before I post the previous one. ^^  
  
**************  
  
- Hisoka -  
  
Lady Sumeragi leads us to a room that is fairly hard to get to by a normal person's standards.. it's out of the way from absolutely everything. She stops in front of the door and looks back at us. I can sense worry, but also hope that perhaps one of us will have the power to pull her grandson out of his catatonic state. "Here is the room," she says. "Do what you need to do. You will find me again in the pavillion."  
  
Slowly, I push the door open and walk into the room. It's dark, all the shades are drawn.. and there's an aura of despair so thick that I'm surprised the others can't pick up on it. All of it is radiating from the boy on the bed. I frown and walk to his bedside slowly. There's a chair next to the bed, and I perch in it, looking down at him. I turn back when the door closes behind me, with Watari and Tsuzuki in the room.  
  
I draw a deep breath and look down at the onmiyouji. "I'm ready," I murmur. "I might need your help if I get caught, Tsuzuki."  
  
"Wakatte," he says. His violet eyes are wide with concern. "Hisoka, are you sure..?"  
  
"Yes." I touch the boy's forehead and frown slightly. His natural shields are very strong, but they've diminished in the time he's been unconcious. This will be a hard fight, but I'm sure it's nothing I can't manage. However, what I -haven't- told them is that I've never gone Within someone before. I decide to keep that bit of information to myself - otherwise, they won't even let me try. "Just.. make sure you pull me out if things get too messy."  
  
Tsuzuki and Watari sit down next to me, and I turn my full attention to Sumeragi Subaru. I close my eyes and draw a deep breath, letting it out slowly. [First step.. relax. This may be easier if I bend over him.] I feel myself slipping into a trance and I slump forward, one hand still on the boy's forehead. My head rests on his shoulder. [Second step.. lower my own shields. This is gonna suck, I just know it.] Carefully, I lower my shields, layer by layer. With each layer of shielding that disappears, the feeling of despair increases, until I'm afraid it will overwhelm me. Something that's always scared me about my empathy is that it's very easy for me to be pulled into the emotions of other people.  
  
[Third step.. full trance.] I take another calming breath, then release my conciousness, sinking into a full empathic trance. Kachou had taught me how to do this not too long ago, and while I haven't worked with it much, he says I'm a natural. [And, finally.. merge with him.] I gently touch Subaru's mind with my own, and I feel a jolt as we connect. I'm not in a trance so much anymore as I'm unconcious.  
  
I find myself in a literal maelstrom. Wind and rain pound viciously at me, and I'm thrown backwards, landing on the ground hard. I grimace in pain and force myself up, lifting my arm to shield my face. It's -very- hard not to slam my shields back up, but if I do that, I'll be thrown out of the meld, and it could be bad for both of us. Slowly, I push forward, even with the wind pushing me back. I can only hope that my strength is enough to get me through this.  
  
"Sumeragi-san!" I yell, struggling forward. The wind forces me to my knees, but I get back up. The rain is coming at me so hard that it puts little rips in my shirt, and cuts gashes into my skin. If I'd known he was this strong, I would have used Tsuzuki's power as an anchor. Hindsight, as they say, is always perfect.   
  
The wind sweeps me off my feet again, and I find myself falling. "Sumeragi-san!" I cry again, hoping he'll hear me and come to his senses enough to let me into his mind without killing me first. The wind just gets stronger, whipping me down, until I just know I'm going to hit rock bottom and become a mental splatter.   
  
Just as I know I'm going to die, the wind stops. My ears are ringing from the lack of noise. I'm set down gently in the darkness again, and now all that's happening is a gentle rain that falls on me. I look down at myself and cringe. My shirt may as well not be there anymore, and I have gashes all over my body. That's going to equal the grandfather of all headaches when I come out of this. I walk forward, looking around. There's not much to see.. a whole lot of dark.  
  
An image shimmers into view in front of me.. a small boy, wearing flowing white robes. He's standing under a sakura tree. I repress a shudder and walk towards the vision, hoping it won't disappear when I get there. As I draw closer, I can see that he's crying as he looks up at the branches. I'm sure, after all this, his hatred of sakura equals my own.  
  
"Sumeragi-san?" I ask quietly, kneeling down a few paces from him.  
  
He turns around and stares at me with tear-filled green eyes. "Who.. who are you?" he asks, sniffling and lifting his arm to wipe his tears away.  
  
I smile faintly. "Kurosaki Hisoka," I say. "I'm a Shinigami."  
  
Surprise registers on his face. "Shinigami? Are you saying.. I'm dead?"  
  
"No," I reply. "You aren't.. yet. You will be if you don't come out of this trance soon, but that's another matter. Sumeragi-san, I was sent by Enma-Cho Himself to help you." That may be a bit of an exaggeration, but I assume our cases have to come from -somewhere-.  
  
Green eyes widen at that. "You're a messanger from God?" he asks, awed.  
  
Uh, well.. "Not exactly," I reply, shaking my head slowly. "I'm a Shinigami. I help souls who are lost find their way home."  
  
The boy turns and looks up at the sakura tree. "Have you seen my sister?" he whispers.  
  
I shake my head. "That's why I'm here. I want to help the people trapped in the sakura tree in Ueno Park."  
  
He clenches his fists and looks down, tears slowly trickling down his cheeks again. "Seishirou-san betrayed us," he whispers. He looks at me, wide-eyed with anguish. "He betrayed us! He killed Hokuto-chan!"  
  
"I know," I murmur soothingly. "I know. Enma-Cho told me everything." Again, an exaggeration, but how else did Kachou know? "I'm here to help, if you'll let me," I continue.  
  
Before my eyes, the child becomes a teenager, a reflection of the true Subaru. He puts his hand on the tree and closes his eyes. "I'm beyond help, Kurosaki-san." His voice is a quiet tenor, laced with agony. "Don't waste your time with me. If you want to help someone, help my sister."  
  
"I can't," I say, standing up. I wince at the pain that causes me. "I need your help. I can't reach her because I don't know her."  
  
He turns to look at me. "Were you an onmiyouji in life?"  
  
I grimace a little. He'd -have- to ask me about my past, wouldn't he. "No. I was - am - an empath."  
  
"You're younger than me," he muses. "Very young to be a Shinigami. How can I trust you?"  
  
I have to admit, he has a point. However, in this plane, I may as well be mortal, because my wounds won't heal. They're mental wounds, not physical. With all the mental scarring I have, I'm surprised my spirit form isn't horribly deformed. "What can I do to make you trust me?" I counter.  
  
He closes his eyes and looks away. "There's not much anyone can do for me. Forgive me, Kurosaki-san.. I can't help you."  
  
"So you're giving up." I cross my arms and stare at him. "You're just going to let your sister and all those people stay in that Tree forever."  
  
"I can't help," he repeats, his voice tight with anger. "I suggest you leave here now."  
  
"You're a coward, then," I say, stepping forward. I'm keeping careful control over my emotions, but it's hard. Here, he has the upper hand. Anything I say or do wrong could kill me. Literally. "You could help them, you're just too afraid to come out of your shell. They need you!"  
  
He turns to me, but rather than the fury I'd expected, there's only a vast sorrow that makes me want to cry for him. "Do you know what it's like?" he asks, his voice shaking. "Do you know what it's like to be betrayed by the one person you loved, loved with all your heart and soul? DO YOU?!" He clenches his fists and looks down, tears streaming down his face. "He said I didn't mean anything to him.. that he could break my arm and it wouldn't matter. And he did.. and he killed Hokuto-chan in my place."  
  
I take a cautious step forward. "I haven't," I say quietly. "I don't know your pain.. but I -have- been betrayed. In life, my parents thought I was a monster. They locked me in a dungeon in our basement and left me there my entire life." He looks up at me, horror tinging his eyes. I step forward again, pressing my advantage. "When I fell ill, they dumped me in the hospital. They didn't bother to come visit me. I was -alone- the -whole time-. One night, I left my hospital room." I can feel the old pain welling up inside of me, but I take another step forward. "I saw a man kill a woman under a sakura tree."  
  
He flinches at that, almost as if I'd seen the sakurazukamori kill his sister. "And.."  
  
"And he killed me, too." I smile bitterly. "Under that sakura tree, he raped me and put a curse on me. It took me three agonizing years to die, Sumeragi-san. During that time, I was in so much pain, and nobody came to see me. Nobody helped me at all until I died." I step forward again, and now we're almost nose to nose. "I became a Shinigami to find out who killed me and to get revenge. But do you know something, Sumeragi-san? It did me no good at all. I was still just as bitter as I had been before I died."  
  
He looks away, frowning slightly. "Why are you telling me this?"  
  
I allow my tension to drain away, and I smile faintly. "Because you're like I was. Trapped Within yourself. I was concious, though, and able to perform my duties as a Shinigami. I was reckless, not caring what happened to me. It wasn't until I was able to push my anger aside that I realized that I became a Shinigami to -help- people.. to comfort them when things like what happened to me, happened to them."  
  
"I'm hardly like you," he says, taking a step back and turning around. Great, all that work and emotional stress for nothing. After I get out of here, I am going to find a corner, curl up in it, and cry. "I think you've made your point. I'm stll not coming out."  
  
I swear softly and grab him by the shoulder, spinning him around to face me. "Listen to me," I say harshly. "Think of how much you're hurting now. If you don't help us stop the sakurazukamori, others will hurt just as much as you do! It could happen again, don't you GET it?! I became a Shinigami to stop Muraki from doing this to someone else, and I almost.. I almost failed!" I grit my teeth. Tsubaki-hime.. forgive me. "But I -didn't-. I was able to -stop- him. Do you want Sakurazuka Seishirou to keep hurting people?! The people he kills have families! They cry when their loved ones are gone!"  
  
He's shaking now, and he pulls out of my grasp. I don't expect the slap that sends me sprawling backwards, and I land on my rear end, stunned. "How dare you talk to me that way?!" he cries, tears streaming down his face. "How dare you use that against me?! How.. how dare you?.." He slumps to his knees and hides his face, sobbing.  
  
Slowly, hesitantly, I crawl over to him and put a hand on his shoulder gently. "Because I need you," I murmur. "Because -they- need you."  
  
"You don't even know me," he says brokenly. "You don't know me and you risked your life to come here. I'm not worth that.."  
  
"Yes, you are," I say firmly. "You're worth it to me, and you're worth it to the people who -won't- die by the sakurazukamori's hands."  
  
He looks at me, his eyes showing a hesitant, small bit of hope. "You.. you think I can.. help?"  
  
I nod. "Yes. I know it." I hold my hand out to him, feeling my energy beginning to fade. "Sumeragi-san.. by all means, stay here if you think it'll make you feel better. Just.. think of the people who need you.."  
  
As I'm about to fade away, he hesitantly puts his hand in mine. "All right," he whispers. "All right."  
  
- Watari -  
  
As soon as Hisoka started shaking and thrashing on the bed, it took both me and Tsuzuki to hold him down. "We have to stop him," I grind out, keeping him from hurting anyone. "This is going too far!"  
  
"No," Tsuzuki replies. "Give him a few more minutes! Hisoka.. I know you can do it.. hang in there!"  
  
Finally, his struggles cease, and he seems to fall back into the trance. Slowly, we back away and look at eachother. "Do you think.. he's succeeding?" I barely recognize my voice.  
  
Tsuzuki nods slowly. "I think he is. Ah, look - he's waking up!"  
  
Hisoka's eyes open slowly, and he struggles to push himself off of the onmiyouji. I help him up, and he leans back in the chair, his whole body limp. "I think.. I did it." He closes his eyes and passes out, absolutely exhausted.  
  
"He's waking up," Tsuzuki breathes.  
  
I turn my attention to the boy on the bed, whose eyelids are fluttering. Slowly, they lift, revealing eyes as green as Hisoka's. He blinks at the ceiling for a moment, then turns his head towards Hisoka. "Kurosaki-san.." he murmurs. "I.. came back."  
  
Tsuzuki heaves a sigh of relief. "Yokatta," he says. "Watari, I'm going to take Hisoka to rest. Will you stay here with Subaru?"  
  
I cringe a bit at Tsuzuki's familiarity, but the boy doesn't seem to notice. "Okay," I say. Tsuzuki gently lifts Hisoka out of the chair, and I sit down in it.  
  
As soon as they're gone, the boy sighs quietly and closes his eyes again, then opens them and looks at the ceiling. "Who are you?" he finally asks quietly. "You seem.. familiar.."  
  
"Yutaka Watari," I reply. "I'm not surprised. I was fostered by your grandmother before you were born, and she taught me a little bit of 'jitsu. I probably have the feel of a Sumeragi to my magic."  
  
He nods slowly, turning his head to study me. "Yes.. you do. You feel almost like my sister." A faint smile touches his lips, then he frowns. "Kurosaki-san..?"  
  
"Tsuzuki took him to rest." I smile reassuringly. "Daijobu yo, he'll be fine. He needs to sleep off the backlash, and he'll have a headache when he wakes up, but otherwise.."  
  
"I see." He sighs and sits up slowly, arching his back to ward off stiffness. "He was.. very convincing."  
  
I grin. "That's Hisoka for you," I say cheerfully. "If you won't listen to him, he'll beat you over the head with his point until you aknowledge it."  
  
A grimace crosses the onmiyouji's face. "That is definately not far off-base." He looks over at me again. "Are you a Shinigami too?"  
  
"Aa." I smile. "I died over twenty years ago, though. Before you were born. Tsuzuki and Hisoka are Shinigami, too, but Tsuzuki died in the Meiji era, and Hisoka.. well.." I bite my lip. "Just.. a little less than six months ago."  
  
Subaru's eyes widen. "Hontou? That poor boy.. no wonder he was so torn up about his death." He bites his lip and looks down at the quilt. "I'll.. talk to him about it again. Maybe I can help put his spirit to rest."  
  
"You're more than welcome to give it a shot," I reply. "However, until Muraki - that's the man who murdered him - is dead and gone, that probably won't happen."  
  
He nods slowly. "I can understand that," he says quietly. He pushes the blankets aside and stands slowly. "Forgive me, Watari-san, but I need to gather my thoughts. I'll take a shower, and then go talk to my grandmother. Please tell me when Kurosaki-san wakes up."  
  
"All right," I say. I turn to go, then pause and turn back. "Do you think you'll be all right?" I'd hate to come back and find that he'd slit his wrists or something.  
  
He smiles faintly and nods. "Yes. Thank you."  
  
I turn and leave, closing the door behind me, and then slowly walk towards the gardens out back. I used to go there after my mother died, to just sit and think, with nobody around to bother me. I wander down the paths until I find what I had termed 'my' bench, and I sit on it, leaning back to gaze up at the sky. At this point, I can't decide if Hisoka and Subaru will be enemies or friends. They have so much in common, but at the same time, they're very different.  
  
Tsuzuki walks down the path and waves cheerfully. "Watari," he greets, sitting next to me. He sighs and fiddles with a flower he'd picked on the way. "Hisoka's sleeping. He seems all right, but he's gonna be really sick when he wakes up."  
  
"Aa, I can imagine," I reply. "That boy must have incredible willpower.. and the strength to keep even Hisoka out."  
  
"Yeah.. but he didn't." Tsuzuki looks at me with an unreadable expression. "What do you think that means? The fact that he let Hisoka in. Does he want to help us?"  
  
"Saa," I reply, shrugging. "I think it's a good sign, though." I grin. "If he didn't want us to help, after all, he wouldn't be awake right now."  
  
Tsuzuki nods. "True, true." He frowns, looking down at the flower. "Eventually, those two will meet up again.. Sumeragi Subaru and Sakurazuka Seishirou. I can't decide if I want to be around when that happens or if I want to run away screaming."  
  
I grimace. "I know the feeling. Something tells me it'd be best if at least one of us was there.. preferrably you, but Hisoka would work as well. I'm just afraid that the blossom star will use Hisoka's memories against him. If his powers are anything as I remember the previous sakurazukamori's to be, he can use a 'maboroshi' - an illusion - and trap Hisoka inside himself." I bite my lip. "All Hisoka has to do is give him an opening.. shiver when he sees sakura, or mention offhand that he hates it.. and the blossom star will want to know why.. and as soon as he finds out.."  
  
"Catastrophe," Tsuzuki finishes. He drops the flower and leans back on the bench, frowning at the sky. "Hisoka will lash out with all his empathic powers, projecting to everyone within a ten mile radius."  
  
"Right." I bite my lip and study the sleeves of my sweater. "We have to keep the sakurazukamori away from Hisoka at -all costs-."  
  
Tsuzuki nods. "Watari.. what do you think's going to happen?"  
  
I blink. "Well, the way I see it, this could end in one of several ways.. one, Sumeragi-san and Hisoka get along perfectly and the case goes off without a hitch. Two, Sumeragi-san and Hisoka get along relatively well, but the sakurazukamori interferes with their friendship and bad things happen. Three, Sumeragi-san and Hisoka hate eachother and the sakurazukamori takes full advantage of that."  
  
"Gods." He grimaces. "Well, I'm hoping for number one, but with our luck, we'll wind up with number three."  
  
"No," I say thoughtfully. "Somehow, I don't think so. I think Hisoka and Sumeragi-san will get along just fine." I think back to the way the onmiyouji had immediately asked about Hisoka, and what he'd said when he'd first woken up.  
  
"I hope you're right, Watari," Tsuzuki mumbles. "I -really- hope you're right."  
  
************  
  
I'm still not sure where the relationship between Hisoka and Subaru is going, but it's definately going somewhere! ^^ Give me ideas! 


	4. Chapter 3 - Rain

AN: I've gotten some questions as to wether or not this will be a romantic story.. hi-mi-tsu! XD There have been several comments for and a couple against. To be honest, I haven't really decided yet. =\ Keep reading, and you'll find out! =D  
  
************  
  
- Hisoka -  
  
As I expected, when I wake up, I have a terrible headache. I let out a muffled groan and open my eyes very slowly, pausing to offer reverent thanks to whoever thought to darken the room.  
  
"You're awake," a quiet voice says from beside me. "Here. Drink this." Someone gently props me up and touches a cup to my lips. I drink hesitantly. It tastes like tea, with some kind of herb in it. Medicine for my headache, no doubt. After I finish drinking, the person sets me down and puts the cup on the bedside table.  
  
I turn my head very slowly and blink. "Sumeragi-san?"  
  
He smiles faintly and nods, settling down in the chair next to the bed again. "Aa. Since you're suffering because of me, the least I can do is help ease your pain."  
  
I smile faintly. "Thank you." I close my eyes, then open them again, peering at the onmiyouji through what seems to me as a thick fog. "How are you feeling?"  
  
He shrugs and glances away. "All right. I would have just as soon stayed Within, but you are right.. there are people who need me."  
  
"Understandable," I murmur. "After what Muraki did to me, I would have liked nothing more, but.. I wanted revenge." I bite my lip. I've never spoken to anyone on this subject, and now I'm telling a complete stranger. Quickly, I change the subject. "I can try to help ease -your- pain, using my powers."  
  
He blinks, then smiles and shakes his head. "Thank you for the offer, but your headache seems bad enough as it is. Don't make yourself worse for me."  
  
I nod and close my eyes again. My headache is receeding.. whatever was in that tea is working wonders. "If you're sure."  
  
"I am," he replies. He pauses for a moment, then speaks hesitantly. "Your spiritual form.. was battered, when I saw you Within.. and not just from my shields, either. I spoke with Watari-san briefly.. he told me you died a little over half a year ago. Do you.. want to talk about it?"  
  
Watari, you are SO dead. "No," I say flatly. "It isn't something I like to think about."  
  
Subaru nods. "I see." He leans back in his chair and gazes at the wall beyond the bed. "It wasn't your fault, though."  
  
I raise an eyebrow. "You're one to talk." He flinches, and I immediately regret my words when I sense pain and shame coming from him. "I'm sorry. I really shouldn't have said that.. please forgive me."  
  
"No.. I deserved it, I suppose." He lifts a hand to wipe at his eyes, and I curse at myself. "You're right. Still, like you, it's something I can't get over."  
  
"You wish he'd killed you, don't you," I say quietly. I force myself to sit up and look at him.   
  
He starts to speak, then closes his mouth and looks down. "Sometimes."  
  
I reach out and take his hand. "You do -not- want to be dead." I gaze at him levelly. "Believe me. No matter how horrible your life is, there are people who care about you. For me, it was the exact opposite. My death saddened nobody. Yours would impact -many- people."  
  
He's startled by my words, but from the look in his eyes, he understands and agrees with what I'm saying. "Thank you, Kurosaki-san," he finally says softly, looking down.   
  
I release his hand and nod. "Call me Hisoka," I say with a faint smile. "Anyone who knows as much about my past as you do shouldn't be formal with me."  
  
When he looks at me again, he's smiling. "All right.. Hisoka. Please, call me Subaru."  
  
At that moment, Tsuzuki pokes his head in the room. He looks concerned, but his face lights up when he sees I'm awake. "Hisoka!" He bounces over to the bed in full puppy mode and hugs me gently. "Yokatta! You're awake!"  
  
I stifle a groan and hesitantly hug him back, and then he pulls away and smiles. "Yes, I am," I reply. "I don't even wish I wasn't. Subaru-san gave me something that really helped my headache.." I glance at the onmiyouji with a smile. "I'll have to get your recipe. Empathic backlash is a very painful thing."  
  
Subaru smiles and nods. "I'd be happy to give it to you." He stands up and bows politely to Tsuzuki and I. "If you'll excuse me, there are a couple things I need to attend to." He walks out and closes the door quietly behind him, leaving Tsuzuki and I alone.  
  
Tsuzuki sits in the chair he'd abandoned and looks at me with a strange expression on his face. "I spoke with the Lady Sumeragi a bit more," he murmurs. "This probably won't come as a shock to you, but it seems that Subaru-san was - is - very much in love with the sakurazukamori."  
  
I nod slowly. "I noticed," I say carefully. "Inside, he's.. all torn up. He doesn't know what to think. The one person he loved betrayed him in the worst way, but he can't bring himself to hate him."  
  
"I wonder what Kachou was thinking when he got us involved in this," Tsuzuki grumbled. "This isn't the kind of thing I usually like to get involved in."  
  
"We're the only ones who could do it," I point out. A little voice in the back of my head adds, 'you, Kurosaki Hisoka, are the only one who can do it, because of your empathy.'. I tell it to shut up, and it retreats. For the moment. "This isn't a case the police could handle. It's a magical case."  
  
Tsuzuki nods thoughtfully. "Aa, I suppose you're right." He leans back in the chair and stares up at the ceiling. "So what we have to deal with now is freeing the spirits from the tree.. and trying to save Subaru-san while we're at it."  
  
I lay back against the pillows and look up at the ceiling thoughtfully. "I don't know what to do," I finally say. "I think we should go back to Tokyo and see if we can catch the blossom star in the act."  
  
He frowns, and I can sense his displeasure with the idea. "All right," he finally says, "but I -don't- want the Sumeragi with us when we go."  
  
"Of course not," I reply, frowning. "I don't look that insensitive, do I? I wish we didn't have to get him involved, but he is unquestionably the person who knows the most about Sakurazuka Seishirou and his methods."  
  
With a sigh, Tsuzuki crosses his legs and looks out the window. "You're right, of course. I just wish we didn't have to get him involved."  
  
I nod in agreement and close my eyes, feeling sleep beckoning me once more. "So do I, but we need him. I'm going to go back to sleep.. I'll see you later." Any reply he makes is worthless to me, because I'm not awake to hear it.  
  
- Subaru -  
  
Awake again. I walk through the gardens slowly, seeing none of the beautiful flowers. My gaze is turned inward.  
  
("You see, Subaru-kun, I am the sakurazukamori. I made a bet with you, and you lost. You are nothing to me. I could break your arm and it would mean less than breaking a glass.")  
  
I shudder and wrap my arms around myself, fighting back tears. Seishirou-san, doushite?! Why did you have to betray me like that.. why did you have to -lie- to me?! And Hokuto-chan.. if I had been stronger, if I hadn't snapped when he.. when he told me that, I could have saved your life.   
  
"Subaru-san," a quiet voice behind me says.  
  
I turn and see my grandmother. She motions for her attendant to leave us, and then beckons me close to her. I sit on the bench across from her wheelchair and try to smile. "Obaa-sama," I say softly.  
  
She returns my smile and reaches out to brush some of my unruly hair out of my face. "Subaru-san, I am very sorry about your sister. Of course, we all learned about it when it happened.. thus is the link connecting all members of the family. That is why we brought you here.. we feared the sakurazukamori would prey on you while you were Within."  
  
"I thank you," I murmur, looking down. I'm not sure if I want her sympathy or not.  
  
With a sigh, she pulls her hand back and regards me seriously. "You are still Clan Head, Subaru-san. You will be involved in the battle for the end of the world. Somehow, you must find a reason to go on. Kurosaki-san was very truthful when he said there are people who need you. Not only the souls trapped inside the Tree, but humanity itself. Every day, you will find someone who needs you. That in itself should be reason enough."  
  
"It's.. very diffucult," I whisper. "I just want things to go back to the way they were, with Hokuto-chan and Seishirou-san by my side."  
  
"I know," she replies. Her voice is gentle. "You have been hurt deeply. I cannot blame you for wanting to remain Within. If you were anyone else, I would let you, and with my blessing.. however, I can't do that. I am too old to take on the responsibilities again, and there is nobody else who can, nor will there be until you produce an heir. It can only be you, Subaru-san."  
  
I close my eyes. "I understand. I will do my best to forget what happened."  
  
She nods. "It's for the best. Now, if you're hungry, dinner should be almost ready. The Shinigami have been notified, but I believe Kurosaki-san is going to stay in bed for awhile longer."  
  
"I can't blame him," I say softly. "Going Within someone is not easy.. I assume it was probably harder for him, as he is an empath and had never done it before."  
  
"Yes." She sighs and looks up at the sky. "He will be fine, but it may take him a little while. Let us go, Subaru-san."  
  
I stand up obediantly and wheel her back inside. While I walk, my mind strays back to the scene Within. Hisoka-san, battered and bleeding.. and not just from my own shields. Whatever happened to him must have been just as bad as what happened to me for him to be that badly broken. I don't think any of his friends realize the extent of the damage.. he probably keeps it to himself. Already, my grandmother's words make sense. Every day, someone needs my help..   
  
I consider that all through dinner, and afterwards, I return to the garden, feeling only slightly less resentful towards life. Every day..  
  
"Sumeragi-san?" A voice behind me, a lilting southern accent. Again I turn, and see the smiling blonde-haired man my grandmother had fostered here before he'd died.  
  
"Watari-san," I reply, bowing slightly. "How is Hisoka-san?"  
  
He grins at me and falls into step, walking next to me. His presence is comforting.. he seems like the type of person who is very kind and cheerful without thinking about it. "He's doing just fine," he says warmly. "He's asleep."  
  
That makes me feel better. "Good. I know the mind dive took a lot out of him."  
  
Watari nods and looks up at the sky, watching the stars. "Kurosaki-kun is strong," he says. "He'll be just fine tomorrow morning. In fact, he'll probably wake up around two or three in the morning and just get up."  
  
I nod. "Perhaps I'll stay with him."  
  
"He'd probably like that." He sighs and puts his hands behind his head. "He's pretty closed-off. It's nice to see him opening up to someone, even a little bit. He seems to like you."  
  
My face heats up ever so slightly at that remark. "The two of us have a lot in common," I reply. "He's been hurt, and so have I. I was just thinking, that maybe.. I could help him."  
  
He smiles. "You're invited to try," he says. "I've tried, and so has Tsuzuki. We can't seem to pull him out of his shell."  
  
"Sometimes, when one has been hurt, it's best not to try," I say quietly. "It's best to just.. be there for them." I smile faintly.  
  
His expression darkens a bit at that. "Suman na," he finally says, blushing. "I didn't realize.."  
  
I blink, then gasp when I realize what he meant. "Oh, no no no, I wasn't referring to myself!" If my face was hot before, it's on fire now. "Please, don't be offended!"  
  
He looks at me, and the red drains from his cheeks, and his cheery smile is back. "Oh, good," he says, sounding relieved. "I was afraid we'd offended -you-."  
  
I shake my head, feeling like a giant weight was lifted off my shoulders. "Not at all." I glance at my watch and sigh. "It's not all that late, but I am tired.. probably due to the emotional stress of pulling myself out of my coma. I think I'm going to go to bed, Watari-san." I smile at him. "Oyasumi nasai."  
  
"Oyasumi," he replies, waving at me.  
  
As soon as I'm tucked into my bed, my thoughts immediately return to Seishirou. I'm somewhat shocked that the Shinigami have been called in to deal with him, but I suppose that consigning his victims to the Tree has made them suspicious. There must be a record kept of every person's birth and death, and the spirits have to go on to be reborn. It's logical to assume, therefore, that if they're stuck in the Tree, that can't happen. I shudder at the thought of all those people being trapped forever.. including my dear sister. For her sake, I'll do everything I can. I should have been able to help you before, 'neesan.. but because I wasn't, I'll be as strong as I can for you now.  
  
My thoughts then drift back to the blonde-haired Shinigami who'd risked his life for me. I frown up at the ceiling. Why am I thinking about him so much? Why is it that I just can't get him off of my mind? The only answer I can come up with is that he was Within me, and so he left a little bit of himself behind, because he is untrained. Perhaps it's that his pain calls to mine, giving me the desire to help him. Or maybe, just maybe.. I can find a friend in him.  
  
That's a comforting thought. I've never really -had- a friend my age, other than my sister. It's nice to think that perhaps someone out there does care about you, after all..  
  
- Hisoka -  
  
I was pleased to find that, when I woke up this morning, I no longer felt like I'd been run over by a train. The pain was mostly gone, and what was left was easily taken care of with a cup of Subaru's herbal tea. I hesitantly climb out of bed and stretch, then look around my room. I'm alone, which is good.. no emotions for me to hold out. I find a clean set of clothing on a chair with a note. I pick it up and blink.  
  
"Hisoka-san, I thought you might appreciate a shower, and you're about my size, so here are some clothes for you. - Subaru"  
  
I grin and put the note down, then take the clothes into the bathroom. Somehow he'd read my mind.. a shower is -exactly- what I want. I carefully undress, then turn the water on as hot as I can stand it. One thing I really, really hate is cold showers. I sigh in pleasure as the hot water cascades down my body. All right, so I'm a clean freak.. so what? I like to look my best, and it's a well-known fact that if you feel good, you look good.  
  
I hurry along with my shower, realizing that there are about thirty other people in the household who will probably also want showers. Today, we're going back to Tokyo to see if we can learn more about the spirit in the Tree. I haven't quite figured out how to ask Subaru to try and reach his sister, though. I'm afraid that won't go over very well.. and it makes sense. I'd sure as hell not want to do that if I were him. It'd just bring back bad memories.  
  
After I'm dressed and feeling almost completely normal, I head out of my room and walk to the courtyard. It's raining out, but it doesn't surprise me to find Watari, Tsuzuki, and Subaru standing under the protection of a gazebo in the middle of the garden. I brave the rain to get to the gazebo, and they smile cheerfully in greeting.  
  
"Ohayou!" Watari chirps. "Are you feeling better?"  
  
I nod. "Much, thanks to Subaru's tea."  
  
Subaru smiles. "It's a family recipe," he explains. "We have to deal with magical backlash a lot, and I thought that empathic backlash may be similar."  
  
"I don't use jitsu of any kind, but you're probably right." I lean back against the railing of the gazebo and yawn. "Are we heading out today?"  
  
Tsuzuki nods. "Aa. We can stay and talk things over at Subaru's apartment, and then decide what to do from there."  
  
"Yes. My apartment is fairly close to Ueno Park, too." A frown darkens his delicate features.   
  
"Yosh'." Tsuzuki grins and pushes himself off of the railing. "We'll go in an hour, then. Take the time to say goodbye to your family, Subaru-san, and we'll head out."  
  
Subaru nods and walks away. I watch him go, then shake my head and glance at the other two shinigami. "This won't end well."  
  
Watari looks somewhat sad. "His -life- probably won't end well."  
  
I sigh and slide down the post, sitting on the wood floor of the gazebo, watching the rain fall.  
  
Subaru, if I could help you.. I would. I just don't know how.  
  
*******  
TBC...  
*******  
  
Writer's block got me. x.x This chapter is kinda pathetic, IMHO..  
  
- Cheyne  
cheyne@everlastingstory.net  
5:08 PM 5/21/2002 


End file.
